French authorities raided the Paris headquarters of the social media platform X on Tuesday and summoned owner Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino for questioning as part of a widening cybercrime investigation.
The probe is being led by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office and involves suspected offenses including unlawful data extraction and alleged complicity in the possession of child pornography.
In a statement posted on X, the prosecutor’s office said a coordinated search was being carried out by its cybercrime unit, the national police cyber division, and Europol.
“A search is under way by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office, the national police cyber unit and Europol,” the office said, adding that it would no longer publish updates on X and would instead use LinkedIn and Instagram.
Prosecutors confirmed that both Musk and Yaccarino were summoned for voluntary questioning in April “in their capacity as de facto and de jure managers of the X platform at the time of the events.” Yaccarino resigned from her position in July last year.
According to BBC, the investigation began in January 2025, initially focusing on content promoted by X’s recommendation algorithm. Authorities later expanded the inquiry to include the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.
Grok has drawn international criticism after users were reportedly able to generate non-consensual sexually explicit material involving women and children.
X has not commented on the latest raid but has previously characterized the investigation as an attack on free speech. The company has also accused French authorities of political motivation.
In a post from July 2025, X rejected claims that it manipulated its algorithm and described the expanding probe as “politically motivated.”
Prosecutors say the investigation now spans multiple legal areas and jurisdictions and is examining whether the platform violated laws related to data handling, content moderation, and digital security.
Officials have not yet indicated whether formal charges will be filed.
The case marks one of the most serious regulatory actions taken against X in Europe and highlights growing scrutiny of major technology platforms over data practices, artificial intelligence tools, and online content.
